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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27759688">Where There's a Spark, There's a Flame</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/deanxcasxlove/pseuds/deanxcasxlove'>deanxcasxlove</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Supernatural</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Elementary School, Alternate Universe - High School, Castiel and Dean Winchester Need to Use Their Words, M/M, Slow Burn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 21:49:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,135</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27759688</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/deanxcasxlove/pseuds/deanxcasxlove</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean Winchester and Castiel Novak meet in elemtary school, when Dean is 8 and Castiel is 10. Dean is best friends with Castiel's youngest brother, Gabriel - and Dean has a Big Stinkin’ Crush™ on clueless Castiel. Years pass and high school rolls around, and now it's Castiel's turn to Feel Things™ for the ever-handsome, ever-popular Dean Winchester. Gabriel devises a plan to finally get the two idiots together - which, of course, all goes wrong, and leaves Dean and Castiel not on speaking terms until a chance encounter at college years later - but then again, nothing's really left to 'chance' where Gabe's involved...</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Castiel &amp; Dean Winchester, Castiel/Dean Winchester</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. I Never Said I Was a Saint</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello! I have not written fic in years so please be gentle with me 🥺 This is definitely a WIP in progress - I couldn't stop thinking about these things that happened to me growing up, and thought it would be a great idea to stick them all in a fic and make it happen to Dean and Cas (but with a more positive ending!)</p><p>I will update when I can - at the very least, I'll enjoy writing this!</p><p>Oh, and I am from the UK - so if any of my US school knowledge is a little clunky I apologise in advance and please do feel free to correct me!</p>
    </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The T-Rex from Tomb Raider II: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msFduhxZleI&amp;ab_channel=nintndon</p><p>What happens with Dean and Tomb Raider II is based on a true story 😂</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“God dammit!”</p><p>“<i>Dean Winchester</i>!” his mother, Mary Winchester, chastised. </p><p>“Sorry Mom!” Dean hollered back, his tongue poking out of the corner of his mouth as he tried his best to defeat the T-Rex currently storming Lara Croft, to no avail. He just couldn’t do it. </p><p>“<i>Sonuva-</i>...” </p><p>“<i>Dean</i>,” his mother seemingly appeared out of nowhere, startling the 8 year old into a blush that crept up his cheeks and tinged the tops of his ears bright red. “That’s not a very good example to set for Sammy, is it?”</p><p>Dean’s 4-year-old brother, Sam, ran into the room, clinging onto Mary’s legs and looking up at her with a big, goofy grin on his face. Mary couldn’t stop herself smiling down at him, scooping the youngest Winchester up in her arms. She held her free hand out for Dean to take.</p><p>“Come on, Dean. I made pie.” The blonde woman wiggled her eyebrows at Dean who immediately perked up, grabbing his mother’s hand. </p><p>“What flavour is it, Mom?”</p><p>“Cherry,” Mary revealed in a conspiratorial tone. Dean briefly let go of Mary’s hand to fist pump the air in victory, before grabbing on once again and leading the way to the kitchen, Mary and Sam’s laughter following him all the way.</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Anna, sit up straight,” Chuck barked at his daughter. “And for goodness’ sake, would you take a brush through that unruly hair of yours?”</p><p>“Yes, father,” 9-year-old Anna Novak whispered, tugging on the ends of her long, straight red hair. Next to her, her older brother Castiel bristled slightly but said nothing, opting instead to reach out and squeeze his sister’s knee in a show of solidarity. It wasn’t worth arguing with their father. He was strict in the way devout religious parents often are, and it would end worse for them all if anyone challenged him, much less 10-year-old Castiel. He usually left that up to his eldest brother, Michael - but, not unusually, Michael remained silent. </p><p>It was a rare evening in the Novak household where Chuck was home for their evening meal. It was Sunday, Castiel supposed, and Chuck liked to keep up some kind of ruse on the sabbath. God knows he wasn’t around for the rest of the week, leaving 14 year old Michael to cobble together something for the 4 of them to eat. Usually the life and soul of the Novak family (when Chuck wasn’t around, that is), Gabriel pushed his food around the plate. The youngest Novak had learned the hard way not to talk back to Chuck. Castiel winced, remembering the way Gabe had cried the first time Chuck had smacked him for backtalk. </p><p>“<i>It’s not worth it</i>,” Castiel had told him. “<i>He will never listen</i>.”</p><p>“<i>He’s supposed to love us</i>,” Gabriel had wailed, and Castiel can still hear the cries now. What was he supposed to say to that? It was true - and yet Chuck Novak had never shown a flicker of any kind of love towards his four children. Castiel remembers pulling his younger brother close, whispering soothing words until the usually-vibrant boy had fallen asleep, snuffling as he did.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Your brother’s smart, right?” Dean asked, a little self-consciously. He knew his best friend Gabriel’s brother Castiel was smart. Too smart to be Dean’s friend, anyway. He liked Gabe - he was mischievous, always up for a prank and pretty awesome to play video games with, too. With Castiel… Dean was confused. He liked him, but not the same way he liked Gabe. He didn’t want to try and fart on Castiel’s head the way he and Gabe did to each other at recess - the thought alone made him go as red as cherry pie - but he did like watching him play video games… Well, kind of. He liked watching Castiel himself, the sharp concentration of his blue eyes, and the way the older boy never flinched when a boss appeared out of nowhere. </p>
<p>It was… weird. Dean never thought about it too much, otherwise he started getting butterflies at the thought of the second-eldest Novak brother. </p>
<p>Gabe shrugged noncommittally, kicking a stone absentmindedly as they walked back to Gabe’s house after school. It was a long-time tradition for the 2 boys, seeing as Gabe’s dad was never around. They would shuck their shoes off and dump their bags, then clamber up the stairs to Gabe’s bedroom to battle it out on Mario Kart 64. Sometimes, Castiel would join them, and even less often so would Anna, Gabe and Cas’ sister. She had long, straight red hair and big, wide eyes. Sometimes she gave Dean butterflies, too - but not as many as Cas. </p>
<p>“You know he’s a brainiac, friggin’ nerd… Why?”</p>
<p>Dean scratched the back of his head. He’d lost count how many times Lara Croft had met an untimely demise at the hands of his PS1 controller. Dean just wasn’t quick enough - at least, that’s what he told himself. In reality, the T-Rex was absolutely terrifying, and Dean couldn’t get his heart-rate to slow down enough to get the shotgun out and put the ‘Rex down. He thought maybe Cas could give it a go for him.</p>
<p>He told Gabriel as much (but left out the part where he was a scaredy-pants) as they reached his front door. </p>
<p>Cas and Anna were already home, much quicker than Gabe and Dean were as they didn’t have time for dawdling - as the eldest after Michael, Cas and Anna had their fair share of chores to tackle. Chuck would only shout if they weren’t done by the time he finally showed up at home.  </p>
<p>The pair of boys took the stairs two at a time, eager to get into the virtual racing seat and earn bragging rights until they did it all over again the next day. </p>
<p>“Oh, Cas is great at that level. You should ask him.”</p>
<p>“Ask me what?”</p>
<p>Castiel Novak appeared at Gabe’s door, his dark hair sticking in all directions and his blank, blue-eyed stare making Dean blush.</p>
<p>Gabriel barrelled on, seemingly oblivious to Dean’s moment of inner turmoil at the sight of the elder Novak. </p>
<p>“Dean totally blows at that level in Tomb Raider II with the T-Rex,” Gabriel explained, rummaging through his stash of crap in the corner of his room. “He wants to know if you’ll do it for him?”</p>
<p>Castiel’s cool eyes drifted from his younger brother to Dean, standing awkwardly in the middle of the room.</p>
<p>“Of course, Dean. If you bring me the memory card with your save file on, I will do that for you.”</p>
<p>“Are you sure Cas… I know you’re busy… You don’t have to-....”</p>
<p>Castiel cut Dean off with a kind smile, “It’s no problem.” </p>
<p>Dean smiled sheepishly, a small blush creeping into his cheeks.</p>
<p>“Actually,” he began, “I kind of have it with me already.”</p>
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